Comments Off on This foldable, solar-powered skyscraper provides instant shelter in disaster zones

Skyshelter.zip is a mobile skyscraper that can be folded and transported to natural disaster zones . Polish designers Damian Granosik, Jakub Kulisa and Piotr Pa?czyk envisioned the design as a compact multi-purpose shelter that provides food, energy, and water and can be deployed using minimal manpower in the shortest possible amount of time. The project won first place at this year’s eVolo Skyscraper Competition . Its versatility and pragmatic design make it a great solution for crisis management in regions struck by earthquakes , floods or hurricanes. Damaged infrastructure can make it extremely difficult to respond efficiently to emergencies. The designers tried to address this issue by proposing a compact structure with a large floor surface that can quickly and easily be transported anywhere. Skyshelter.zip has a much smaller footprint compared to tents and containers, which are typically used during emergencies. This means that less site preparation is needed prior to setting up camp, which is extremely significant in densely populated areas. Related: This futuristic vertical factory feeds off a city’s waste to produce energy The skyscraper is designed to stand even on unstable soil. Light-weight 3D-printed slabs and structural steel wires function as load-bearers. Pieces of fabric attached to the main structure constitute the internal and external walls. The building envelope would be made with a nanomaterial based on ETFE foil and small, connected perovskite solar cells. This way, the building can produce clean energy even during times of disaster. The structure is also topped with a balloon that can collect and clean rainwater . The skyscraper can also provide first aid, temporary housing or storage, and it’s designed to host a vertical farm made from excavated soil. + eVolo

Comments Off on The GCC’s first commercial vertical farm launches in Dubai

Cultivating crops in Dubai’s harsh climate isn’t easy — but indoor vertical farms could offer a solution. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)’s first such facility, Badia Farms , recently launched in the glitzy emirate . The energy efficient farm system uses 90 percent less water than traditional farming , a real boon for the water-scarce region. Food imports travel around 3,000 miles on average to make it to restaurant plates in Dubai, according to the Emirates News Agency . Badia Farms could offer produce with a vastly reduced carbon footprint with their indoor hydroponic farm . Microgreens, lettuces, and herbs flourish with no sunlight, soil, or pesticides required. The greens grow in coconut husks instead, and according to The National , the produce is even safer because many potential food-borne diseases stem from dirt. Badia Farms is the very first commercial vertical farm in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. Related: The “most technologically-sophisticated commercial indoor farm in the world” will grow 30X more produce Badia Farms gets their name from the Arabic word for ‘oasis,’ according to their website. They described Dubai as “one of the world’s most dynamic yet agriculturally challenged cities” and said they’re the first company to provide greens to restaurants the same day they were harvested. Founder and CEO Omar Al Jundi said, “We set up Badia Farms in the UAE with a vision to provide a sustainable solution for food and to reduce the region’s reliance on imports. Growing crops in the region has always been a challenge due to the hostile climate, and that is where Badia Farms offers a viable solution…This is our way to give back to the UAE and start the new wave of farming in Dubai.” The Emirates News Agency said the indoor farm commenced production in December 2017. + Badia Farms Via The National and Emirates News Agency Images via Dubai Media Office Twitter

Comments Off on Plantagon’s crowdfunded plantscraper aims to produce 500 metric tons of food a year

Swedish company Plantagon believes that ‘plantscrapers’ are the way of the future—and part of solution to the global food crisis. Part urban farm, part skyscraper, these vertical greenhouses could provide large-scale organic food production in cities, with a much smaller energy and carbon footprint than industrial agriculture. After years of research and development, Plantagon is now ready to embark on their first landmark plantscraper, called The World Food Building, and is crowdfunding their way to success . A pioneer in the fields of urban agriculture and food technology, Plantagon has set their sights on solving the food crisis as cities grow larger and arable land shrinks. Thus, the company created The World Food Building, a 60-meter-tall vertical farm and 16-story office building proposed for Linköping, Sweden that, if built, would serve as an international model for vertical industrial urban farming. The innovative ‘plantscraper’ would use Plantagon’s patented technology to produce 500 metric tons of organic food annually in a closed, clean, and climate-controlled environment. At least half of the energy used in food production would be recaptured and reused as floor heat in the office building. Plantagon estimates that The World Food Building could save 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and 50 million liters of water as compared to traditional industrial farming systems. To turn their first plantscraper into reality, Plantagon has turned to crowdfunding and asked the community to join them as allies. “We are reaching out to people everywhere who feel that commercial organizations should also be the driving force of change,” said Hans Hassle, Plantagon’s Co-founder and Secretary-General. “People are sick and tired of businesses being shortsighted and just-for-profit driven. We believe it’s time for this to change and the time for ‘business as usual’ is over. With potentially 100,000 allies all over the world supporting Plantagon, we will show that the power of the crowd gets the job done.” + Plantagon

Comments Off on Target is launching in-store vertical farms for fresh, ultra-local produce

Consumers are increasingly demanding access to locally grown produce – even at big box stores. Target heard that call, and they’re answering by offering the freshest and most local produce a customer could possibly want—by installing vertical gardens to grow vegetables and herbs right inside stores . The effort will begin with a series of trials in Spring 2017 and, if successful, Target locations across the country could be growing crispy, leafy greens before you know it. While indoor farming is not new, even for the United States, the act of combining crop production with a retail store is more or less uncharted territory. Target has been quick to pursue hot retail trends, and the chain’s Food + Future CoLab , a collaboration with the MIT Media Lab and Ideo, has been researching in-store micro-farming for nearly a year. While leafy greens are the most common crop for most types of indoor vertical farms, Target could eventually branch out to offer potatoes, beets, and zucchini. Forbes reports that MIT may even allow Target to access ancient seeds for rare tomatoes or peppers. The benefits of indoor farming are almost too numerous to name. The setup, typically aquaponic in nature, uses less water than traditional in-ground farming. Raising vegetables, greens, and herbs in an indoor, climate-controlled environment also means a year-round growing season. Pesticides aren’t required, and the absence of weather means no unexpected crop losses, trimming both the cost and the risk of wasted food and resulting in a consistent source of sustainable food . Related: Berlin grocer reimagines the future of produce departments with in-store vertical micro-farm While a number of enormous indoor farms already exist in the US, only a few big grocers are growing their own produce. Whole Foods in Gowanus, Brooklyn unveiled a massive rooftop greenhouse in late 2013, where 20,000 square feet of vegetables are grown year-round without pesticides. Three years later, with Target just announcing its upcoming pilot program, it’s tough to say how long it might be before those red-and-white aisles offer up fresh crops of their own, but it’s safe to say this is an interesting step forward in the future of retail grocery shopping as well as easy access to locally grown, pesticide-free greens. + Food + Future CoLab Via Forbes Images via MIT OpenAg , Wikipedia and Target Food and Future coLab

Comments Off on Berlin grocery with vertical micro-farm reimagines the future of produce departments

Grocers are in constantly pursuit of ways to connect their customers with the freshest, highest quality produce, but it’s a challenge when veggies have to be harvested at the farm and transported to market. INFARM is cutting out the middle man by placing vertical micro-farms inside Berlin supermarkets , as a way to deliver the freshest possible produce to hungry customers. The “farming as a service” option is testing out a live herb garden right in the aisles of METRO Cash & Carry and, if consumers like it, we may be seeing the beginning of a new trend in supermarket fare. Read the rest of Berlin grocery with vertical micro-farm reimagines the future of produce departments

Comments Off on Report: Wind could supply a third of the USA’s electricity by 2050

A new report from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind and Water Power Technologies Office titled “ Wind Vision: A New Era of Wind Power in the United States ” finds that wind energy could supply 35 percent of the country’s electricity by 2050. That is enough energy to power more than 100 million homes and support more than 600,000 jobs, according to the report, which updates and expands upon a 2008 DOE report titled “ 20 percent Wind Energy by 2030 .” Read the rest of Report: Wind could supply a third of the USA’s electricity by 2050 Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: “clean energy” , “wind power” , clean electricity , clean power , Climate Change , Department of Energy , José Zayas , obama administration , renewable energy , U. S. Department of Energy , U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind and Water Power Technologies Office , wind electricity , wind energy